Merkel: Hamburg G20 to focus on Paris climate deal

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said this year’s G20 summit will focus on furthering the aims of the Paris climate deal – putting her on a direct collision course with the US president.

Mrs Merkel said she knew the topic may be difficult following Donald Trump’s decision to pull the US out the accord.

However, she said, tackling climate change remained a priority for Europe.

She was backed by other European leaders who said they would speak with “one voice” in Hamburg.

The summit of the world’s largest economies takes place next week. As host, it is up to Mrs Merkel to set out the priorities of the annual meeting.

This year, the Paris climate agreement, established to limit the impact of carbon emissions on the environment, with countries committed to keeping the rise in global temperatures “well below” 2C, will be among them.

Mr Trump pulled the US out of the deal on 1 June, saying the Paris agreement was a deal that aimed to hobble, disadvantage and impoverish the US.

He claimed the agreement would cost the US $3tn in lost GDP and 6.5 million jobs – while rival economies like China and India were treated more favourably.

Mr Trump said he wanted to negotiate a “fair” deal for the US.

The decision places the US as one of just three countries which has not signed up to the deal. Nicaragua – which felt the agreement did not go far enough to tackle climate change – and Syria are the other two.